Apatow honored at Silver Circle gala

Filmmaker and friends raise coin for cause

Even honoree Judd Apatow had to admit that scheduling the Venice Family Clinic Silver Circle Gala the night after the Academy Awards was perhaps a bit much, but that didn’t stop his comedy posse from showing up to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Monday.

“I am on three hours sleep, after watching Colin Firth dance all night,” Apatow admitted as he accepted the clinic’s Humanitarian Award. Helping to raise funds for the 7-location free clinic, the largest in the United States, Apatow, his pals – including Johnny Knoxville, Jonah Hill and Seth Rogen – and the rest of the well-heeled attendees raised over $1 million for the cause.

Nick Kroll hosted, Patton Oswalt performed a ribald comedy set, the Eels sang and Fiona Apple closed the show, but not before Rogen got in a few funny licks as he introduced Apatow, while “Two and a Half Men” creator Chuck Lorre looked on. Lorre is a large supporter and former honoree of the clinic.

“Judd sent me an email,” Rogen explained, “telling me what to say. No Jew jokes, he said, you saw what happened to Charlie Sheen. It’s a dark day in Hollywood for Jew jokes.”

Also honored at the gala were Dr. Mayer B. Davidson, one of the founders of the Venice Free Clinic, and Jeffrey Sinaiko, a longtime board member. Apatow acknowledged both in his acceptance, and finished the night by modestly saying, “what I do by writing checks is a very small thing compared to the people that give their lives to help other people.”